CHAPTER IV
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
In this chapter, the researcher introduced the research results and discussions, and answered the questions expresse in the study described in the first chapter. It consisted of two parts; the first part mainly examined the characterization of A.J. Fikry as the main character in the novel "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry" by Gabrielle Zevin, the second part was a discussion of the findings support from some relate theories by experts about the characterization.
4.1 Research Findings
This research was conducted by researcher and contained a research question that focused on the characteristics of A.J. Fikry as the main character of Gabrielle Zevin's novel "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry's Story". After collecting the data, the next step the researcher analyzed the research data.
Then, support by the characterization theory of Roberts (1983) and Herman (2002), The data were explained by describing the detail information of A.J.
Fikry's characteristic as the main character of the novel.
This part aimed to answer the research question about the characterization of A.J. Fikry in the novel "The Storied Life of A.J.fikry" by Gabrielle Zevin. Consistent with sayuti (1996:36), there were six dramatic or indirect methods to express the protagonist : (1) Physical Description (2) Portrayal Of Thought Stream Or Conscious Thought (3) Reaction To Event
(4) Direct Author Analysis (5) Discussion Of Environtment (6) Reaction Of Other Character. Through this research, the researcher used tables as an auxiliary tool for this research to show the results of the research to understand how the characteristics of A.J.Fikry as the main character of the novel "The Story of A.J.Fikry". The researcher determined the characteristics of A.J.Fikry based on the examined data and found six methods of identifying characteristics were used by the author of the novel "A.J.Fikry's Story". These survey results were explained in the table below :
Table 4.1 Physical Description
The Ways to Analyze Characterization
No Technique Page Data Character’s
Attributes 1
Physical Description
24
No one cares why a 39-year-old man threw a plastic bucket of vindaloo through the room like a toddler.
Middle Aged Man
2 24
After three cups, he passed out on the table. He is only 5 feet 7 inches tall and 140 pounds, and he doesn't even have vindaloo to strengthen him.
A man who is quite tall
and proportional
3 39
However, tests have shown that for a 39-year-old man, his blood pressure and cholesterol are between acceptable and high.
Have some disease
Table 4.2 Portrayal of Thought Stream or Conscious Thought 4
Physical Description
39
I used to be a long-distance runner, but now I don't exercise at all. I live alone and have no meaningful relationships. Since my wife passed away, I also hate my job. "
"Oh, is that so?" the doctor asked. "Mr. Fikry, you are still young, but your body can only bear a certain burden. If you want to commit suicide, I can think of a faster and easier way. Do you want to die?"
Unhealthy Physically
5 89
Once, someone has asked A.J. if Maya was his. “You’re both black but not the same kind of black.” Maya remembers this because the remark had made A.J. use tone of voice she had ever heard him use with a customer.
A.J and Maya have a black skin
No Technique Page Data Character’s
Attributes
1
Portrayal of Thought Stream or Conscious Thought
17
A.J." interrupted him, "This book is not for me. " "Okay, then I will explain another book." A.J. takes a deep breath. "You look like a nice lady, but your senior...
Look, Harvey knows my taste. He has the same taste as mine.”Amelia put the brochure on the table. "I want to have a chance to get to know your taste buds," he said, feeling like a character in a pornographic story.
Funny and a little bit embarassin g
2 22
A.J. regretted his behavior to the representative. It's not her fault. Someone should have told him that Harveyrod was dead. However...in the past few decades, he spent a few hours with this person. They only discussed books, but in this life, what is more personal than books?
Lacking emotional control and feeling disappointe
Table 4.3 Reaction to Event 3
Portrayal of Thought Stream or Conscious Thought
25
Finally, he was dreaming. The purpose of all drinking is to reach this place. Nick, the ghost wife of his drunken dream, helps him stand up. "You're such a shame, nerd.
You know?" He nodded.
Feel Calm
4 29
When they pulled her car out of the water, Nick was already died, and in the drawer of the morgue, her lips were blue. This color made A.J. the black lipstick she painted on the book party for the latest vampire.
Remember ed the past
5 88
From her vantage point on the floor, people are shoes.
Summer, sandals. In winter, boots. Molly Klock (Molly Klock) sometimes wears red superhero boots to the knee, A.J. is black sneakers with white toes. Lambiase wears big shoes with crushed fingers.
Viewpoint of people
No Technique Page Data Character’s
Attributes
1
Reaction to Event 26
“People like to say that”, and AJ replied, “but it was someone's fault. It was his fault, what he did was stupid.
What he did was a stupid melodrama. It's like the story of Danielle Stell. Nic! If it were a novel, I would definitely stop reading now. I threw the novel across the room.”
He is angry
2 50
A.J. Apologizes but he is not sorry. Who are the people who think that a book will guarantee that they will like it?
Mannerless
Table 4.4 Direct Author Analysis 3
Reaction to Event
61
Because he feel obligated to her for coming over with food, A.J. volunteers to help. "Maybe I can draw flat shoes or print programs or something?"
Returning the Favor
4 81
A.J. looked at Maya in a pink evening dress, and he felt a vaguely familiar, somewhat unbearable bubbling. He wants to laugh out loud or hit a wall.
Laughing Out Loud
5 82
He felt drunk, or at least carbonated. crazy. At first, he thought it was happiness, but then he determined it was love. Damn love, he thought. It's really troublesome.
This completely hindered his plan of drunken death and business bankruptcy
Feel in Love to
Maya
6 90
Lambiase smiled at A.J., A.J. raised his glass and smiled back. Then, despite the fact that A.J. did not believe in God, he closed his eyes and thanked who was the higher authority wholeheartedly
Feeling blessed
No Technique Page Data Character’s
Attributes
1
Direct Author Analysis
44
Since it was impossible to retire soon, A.J. read sample brochures, responded to emails, answered phone calls, and even wrote one or two promotional cards on the shelf. In the evening, after the store closed, he started running again. There are many challenges in long- distance running, but one of the biggest challenges is the question of where to put the house key.
Independen and trying
to stay healthty
2
Direct Author Analysis
62
“I worry for you. If you love everyone, you’ll end up having hurt feelings most of the time. I suppose, relative to the lenght of your life, you feel as if you’ve known me a rather long time. Your perspective of time is really very warped, Maya. But i am old and soon, you’ll forget you even know me.”
He is a caring person
3 97
A.J. curse to that woman who told him that the chickenpox vaccine is an optional mother, because chickenpox is indeed their family's acne. Maya is miserable, and A.J. is miserable, because Maya is miserable.
A.J.
doesn’t like the situation
4 228
In his opinion, the only thing worse than a world with a large chain of bookstores. At least the big stores sell books instead of medicines or wood! At least some people who work in these shops have a degree in English literature and know how to read and curate books for people!
A.J. cant accepted the present
from his mom
5 230
“it’s fine”, Amelia says. “It’s a lovely gift. We all love to read, and I’m sure we’ll enjoy using them very much.
Besides, A.J. really is being dramatic.”
A.J. is tho dramatic
person
Table 4.5 Discussion of Environtment
No Technique Page Data Character’s
Attributes
1
Discussion of Environtment
61
She wanted to say how unlike you, but she refused.
Except for her husband, she considers her brother-in-law to be one of the most selfish and self-centered men she has ever met
Selfish
2 70
“Bright but Trusting. Good insight. I’ll write that down.” Jenny does. “So after I place her in an emergency, nonpsychopatic” she’s smiles at A.J., foster family, I go to work again.
A.J.
worried with what
will be happen to
maya
3 100
“Don’t go breaking my heart, A.J. That was my absolute favorite from four winter list ago. No one wanted read it. I loved that book. I still love that book! I’m the queen of lost causes, though.”
A.J. almost hurt Amelia
again
4 102
It’s not uncommon for sales representatives and booksellers to break bread, but Amelia found a certain tone in A.J.’s voice. She clarified.
A.J.
become soften
5 107
At their second or third meeting, he had referred to Blurbs as “the blood diamonds of publishing.” She knows him a little better now, and needless to say, this process is less painful for it. He trust me more, she thinks, or maybe it’s just that fatherhood has mellowed him. (It is wise to keep thoughts like this to yourself).
A.J. is mellowed
because Maya
Table 4.6 Reaction of Other Character
No Technique Page Data Character’s
Attributes
1
Reaction of Other Character
18
Amelia blushed, although she was more angry than embarrassed. She told A.J., but his attitude was unnecessary insults. She studied him. He is older than Amelia but not longer, but not much, not more than ten years old.
Unstable emotion
2 28
“if this were Raymond Carver, you’d offer me some meager comfort and darkness would set in and all this would be over. But this... is feeling more like a novel tom e after all. Emotionally, i mean. It will take me a while to get throught it. Do you know ?”
Feeling emotional
3 69
“is it your first day ?” A.J. asks. “No.” Jenny says, “i’ve been doing this a little while.” Jenny smiles at Maya.
“What a beauty you are”. Maya burries her face in A.J.’s hoodie. “You two seem very bonded”. Jenny makes a note in her pad
A.J. very close to his
daughter
4 103
Plus I looked up the reviews online. And it sounded delicious. “You didn’t trust me ?” ask A.J., “I like to think about what I’m going to eat before I get there. I like to” -she stretches out the word- “an-ti-ci-pate”. She opens the menu.
Feel untrustwort
hy
5 258
Maya Tamerlane Fikry, besides reading, she also wants to be a writer. If her father only sells books, then Maya has the dream of becoming a writer. Since she was a toddler, Maya has read many books. AJ also advised him, "Master the short story, you will rule the world.
A.J.
personal thing, he’s
give an advance to
Maya
Based on table 4.1 to 4.6 above, the researcher found 31 data supporting the identification of characterization applied to the main character in the novel
“The Storied Life of A.J.Fikry”. Those result of the identification were was categorized into six namely: (1) Physical Description by author containing 5 data (2) Portrayal of Thought Stream or Conscious Thought by author containing 5 data (3) Reaction to Event by author containing 6 data (4) Direct Author Analysis by author containing 5 data (5) Discussion of Environtment by author containing 5 data (6) Reaction of Other Character by author containing 5 data.
In this study, the researcher used these techniques to find characteristic of the main character A.J.Fikry in the novel. In line with Murphy in (Ariyanti, 2008) it claimed that "the author describes the characteristics of a character by talking to other characters, which means that the said information allows the reader to understand the characteristics of a person in the story". Then, introduction of the main character by the author was the behavior or action of the character described by using the data to get the meaning to understand characteristic of A.J.Fikry as the main character in this novel. It meant that the author defines a person's behavior and habits, and directly told the reader his or her role in the story.
Finally, the researcher applied intoduction based on the dialogue between the characters. It can be said that the author's identification with the reader, through the dialogue with the characters, to understand the characteristics of a character, that is, what people say is focused on a certain character in the story.
(Herman, 2002)
In the novel “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” written by Gabrielle Zevin , the main focus of the story was actually A.J. Fikry as the main character of the novel. At the beginning of the story, it described how A.J. Fikry is a wifeless who did not like living alone and only cared about himself. But, A.J. missed his late wife, Nic, and tends to dream about her when he's unsettled or lonely. Moreover, the dynamics of the story was focused on him because this novel demonstrate A.J.
Fikry capacity to change and/or to grow as the reactions of him towards the events and to influence other characters in the novel.
Based on the data examined in this research, the researcher found the identified characteristic of A.J. Fikry. The findings were revealed that A.J. Fikry was categorized the person who was lonely, drank to excess, was grumpy and opinionate, mental ill after his wife died and he’s struggles with low book sales in the bookstore that he and his wife bought when they moved to the island but after meeting maya his life was changed became carer, lover and then A.J. proposed to marry amelia, his life was back again
4.2 Discussion
Researcher discussed the characteristic traits of A.J. Fikry as the main character in Gabrielle Zevin's novel "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry". The researcher checked all of the data in the novel to answer the research questions.
The characteristics of the main characters in the novels was used in this research material were based on the interpretation of theories by (Roberts, 1983) and Herman (2002), related theories and some research results. Research in the past.
In addition, the term expression meant "the way the author presents the characters, the relationship between the characters and other stories, and how the author describes the characters in the story" (Herman 2002: 165). There were six ways of character recognition in the story, namely: (1) Physical Description, (2) Portrayal of Thought Stream or Conscious Thought, (3) Reaction to Event, (4) Direct Author Analysis, (5) Discussion of Environtment, (6) Reaction of Other Character.
A. Identifying The Characters of A.J. Fikry
To answer the questions raised in this study, it was necessary to understand the personality and characteristics of A.J.Fikry through analysis and identification. As the main purpose of this research, in order to understand how A.J.Fikry as the main character in the novel, this research was supported by the relevant character theory from Roberts (1983) and Herman (2002). It was state that identifying of the character were recognized by several ways consisting (1) Physical Description, (2) Portrayal of Thought Stream or Conscious Thought, (3) Reaction to Event, (4) Direct Author Analysis, (5) Discussion of Environtment, (6) Reaction of Other Character.
This novel was one of the best in 2017 from A New York Time Bestseller.
To identify the characters involve, there were many ways to understand the interpretation of the characters in the novel. People were able to learn about someone’s personality by talking, walking, and/or even dressing. People were able to learn about someone's feelings and other personalities by looking at
someone's appearance, clothing, makeup, etc. Consistent with Murphy's (1972) claimed, “Readers can identify characters through the following literary works to explain what the author implies: personal descriptions, characters seen by others, words, past lives, conversations by others, reactions, directness Comments, ideas and habits".
In addition, in the novel that was the source of this research, the author applied six methods through the language used, as shown in Table 4.1 to 4.6. In this study, the author told the characters of A.J. Fikry as the main character in the novel by implementing the figure of speech. In line with Aryanti (2008:9) “The author mainly describes the characteristic of a character throught the way one character speaks to other characters which mean that the information spoken can give the reader an insight of one’s characteristic in a story”
Moreover, the identification by the researcher in the novel was able to find by using six methods, the researcher defined a person’s mannerism, habits which diretly told the readers about his or her personality in the story (Aryanti, 2008).
The identification of main character coming from the one of the technique, dialog between the characters were able to describe by way of the author to express A.J.
Fikry as the main character. According to Herman (2002): as cited in Aryanti (2008), “The identification applied in the story by the usage of the dialog about character can be used by means of the writer in order to apprehend the characteristic of one personality focusing to the specific persona in the story”
B. The Characteristic of A.J. Fikry
A.J. Fikry as the main character in the novel "The Storied Life of A.J.
Fikry" had a complex personality. His character was able to be classify as a round character because his character in the novel had changed in the story. In line with Aryanti (2008), "The round character is described as a complex temperament , It manifests itself in a trivial way, especially to change a person’s life.” In addition, these changes indicated the psychological nature of AJ’s growth of his character.
As a main character character, the author expressed him in detail in the novel. A.J. and his unique character. He was very smart, a true nerd, and basically he was also a very caring and caring person. A.J. Fikry was a very smart person, and his serious way of speaking was also very interesting.
Some of data obtain by the researcher used as the basis for showing the characteristics of A.J. Fikry was diversed, because in the storyline, other characters and locations had influenced A.J. Fikry. For example, A.J Fikry had the characteristics of being selfish, self-centered, and indifferent to other people’s feelings about what happened to others or what happened to that person, while the accident of Nic’s wife AJ Fikry and the theft of Tamerlane’s precious books made A.J. It got worse due to physical weakness and congenital diseases, but shortly after Nick died, he received a surprise from a baby named Maya.
Then there was another character Amelia a simple but attractive girl, a toddler who was smarter and maturer than her age, her name was Maya. The policeman Lambiase, who was described as far from being handsome, had a kind heart and unexpected tenderness. Several other characters, such as Maya's mother,
A.J.'s sister-in-law. And her husband, who liked to cheat, also completed the storyline.
The research characteristic of the main character were, A.J. was rigid, stubborn, selfish, and indifferent but changed since Maya appeared, and his parental traits that he never thought appeared in him and this made A.J. Fikry was surprised that what he felt was loved.
He feels drunk or at least carbonated. Insane. At first, he thinks this is happiness, but then he determines it’s Love. Fucking Love, he thinks. What a bother. It’s completely gotten in the way of his plan to drink himself to death, to drive his bussiness to ruin
-page 82
The story was compact and well proportionate. The readers were able to say that the ending was almost unpredictable. The characterization of A.J. was serious but very interesting. It made the readers laugh but why it was sad, so the reader was able to imagine what the story line was like and how A.J.'s emotions would play out. Life story book. Subtle humor was tuck into the story. It's not explicit, of course, so subtle it might not even feel like humor. The humor in this part was more intriguing.
A.J." interrupted him, "This book is not for me. "
"Okay, then I will explain another book."
A.J. takes a deep breath. "You look like a nice lady, but your senior... Look, Harvey knows my taste. He has the same taste as mine.”
Amelia put the brochure on the table. "I want to have a chance to get to know your taste buds," he said, feeling like a character in a pornographic story.
-page 17
Every conversation felt very personal. There were many book titles mentioned throughout the story, and A.J. Fikry as a character in the story still entered my mind like the opinions of someone the researcher knew in the real world. The dialogue about these books was really interesting.
“People like to say that”, and AJ replied, “but it was someone's fault. It was his fault, what he did was stupid. What he did was a stupid melodrama. It's like the story of Danielle Stell. Nic! If it were a novel, I would definitely stop reading now. I threw the novel across the room.”
-page 26
The police (he rarely reads, except for Jeffery Deaver's mass-printed paperback novels, while on vacation) tried to bring the conversation back to reality. "Yes.
You have a bookstore."
-page 26
After thinking about it, the researcher found the strength of the book and the characteristic of A.J. Fikry were indeed in the dialogue. The choice of language, the arrangement of sentences, and the way Gabrielle Zevin handles each paragraph so that they could invite the reader’s emotions into the storyline.
I used to be a long-distance runner, but now I don't exercise at all. I live alone and have no meaningful relationships. Since my wife passed away, I also hate my job. "
"Oh, is that so?" the doctor asked. "Mr. Fikry, you are still young, but your body can only bear a certain burden. If you want to commit suicide, I can think of a faster and easier way. Do you want to die?"
-page 39
Even paragraphs that was not in the form of dialogue sound interesting and itchy.
Since it was impossible to retire soon, A.J. read sample brochures, responded to emails, answered phone calls, and even wrote one or two promotional cards on the shelf. In the evening, after the store closed, he started running again. There are many challenges in long-distance running, but one of the biggest challenges is the question of where to put the house key.
-page 44
Some sentences I immediately mark as quotes.
"...If people allow more things to happen, their problems will be solved."
-page 17
Maya Tamerlane Fikry, besides reading, she also wants to be a writer. If her father only sells books, then Maya has the dream of becoming a writer. Since she was a toddler, Maya has read many books. A.J. also advised him, "Master the short story, you will rule the world."
-page. 258
A.J. Fikry seemed to represent the heart of every book lover, and every cell in his body seemed to prove this. In fact, A.J. compared people to a book as a comparison. According to the description in the above data, it could be said that overall, the characteristics of AJ Fikry had become clearer. He described as a smart, indifferent, caring, and believe in the power of love, but also arrogant, self- centered, and lonely. , Alcoholics and real people. "I am a romantic person, but sometimes these are not romantic for me." -page 99. The researcher used the description of the main characters in the novel by using six method Physical Description, Portrayal of Thought Stream or Conscious Thought, Reaction to Event, Direct Author Analysis, Discussion of Environtment, Reaction of Other Character. With all of these method could be described the main character of A.J.
Firky.
